I had just finished vacuuming the downstairs and walked into the kitchen for a drink of water when I saw several birds fly by. They were BLUEBIRDS! Their back! I was so excited! I ran upstairs to get the memory card from the computer and only had time for two quick pictures before they all flew away. I haven't seen them all winter and I've missed them. They are such lovely birds.I wish I'd had some Zick dough out for them, although had it been out they probably wouldn't have been able to get to it for the stinkin' starlings. I hope they'll be back regularly now. That would make me very happy!
21 comments:
I need to get my new bluebird nesting box set up soon if there is any chance of them finding it this year!
Carol, May Dreams Gardens
Oh. WOW! They don't come here, or at least not up here--I think they're called rare visitors in Nova Scotia but I'll have to look it up. I'd dearly love to see one for real...the've been having problems with populations declining too, I do know that, so good for all of you who feed and put out nesting boxes.
Lucky you! I've never seen a bluebird in my garden. I'll look forward to close-ups from yours.
Oh wow, how wonderful to have the bluebirds back already. It is way to early in my garden yet. We do have a couple of nesting boxes and I'm still living in hopes that some will pick our houses to nest in.
Yay Robin! Bluebirds for you! :c)
You lucky lady. Bluebirds of happiness they call them. :) I hope you have a nestbox to encourage them to stick around.
How fortunate was your timing with the vacumning, drinking and grabbing your card for the camera! That is a lot to do to get the photo. Hope you can get many more shots of them. We have a few, they live in the tall pines at the edge of our property. We have had hit and miss success with them using our boxes, other birds want them too. Last weekend while visiting in Knoxville we saw six pairs out house hunting! Spring is coming!
You are lucky to have visiting Bluebirds. There are nest boxes at the nearby forest preserve, but I've seen a Bluebird in my garden only once, several years ago.
Aren't they beautiful? I've seen my first ones of the year this week in both northern Virginia and central Virginia.
Thanks for your visit to my blog, and I hope you have success with the water - just realize that, depending on the weather, it may remain open for as little as 1-2 hours or right through the day. It was in the twenties today and they had water for about 4 hours, before it froze and the pan was almost empty... well worth the effort!
I've been looking through your many posts and wonderful photography - a thoroughly engrossing blog and congratulations on the bluebirds.
Now is the time you will have bluebirds back again. During the winter, they usually stay out in the food source areas (woods and fencelines with dogwood, etc). However, during the real cold, they always return to my nest box for roosting (I don't close mine up). I had six roost in one last Feb. Only four this year. Get out a nest box (hole facing East or North if possible) and a pair will likely return in the spring. You just might have to battle house sparrows until the bluebirds claim it in the spring.
Robin,
Oooo, I'm so happy for you. I am longing for the bluebirds to return. I saw many of them last winter. Few this year.
There was a bluebird in my backyard a few weeks ago, so I'm hopeful to see them again. They're so special.
Mary
Carol, I need to get a bluebird nest box too. I'd love to have a pair nesting here.
Hi, Jodi,I'm sorry to hear that the bluebird population is declining. They are such lovely birds.
Pam/digging, I'll do my best to get a decent close-up. That is definitely a goal of mine.
Crafty gardener,I hope they pick your nesting boxes too. That would be a lovely treat for you.
Hi, Jayne, thanks so much for stopping by. I've been admiring your bluebirds and longing to see them again myself. I was so happy when I finally saw them today.
Lisa, I don't have a nest box. I'm not sure where to put one, and I still have so many house sparrows. I'm afraid that I would be heartbroken if a house sparrow killed my nesting bluebirds. Birds of happiness is an appropriate name for them.
I know, Frances, I was so glad I didn't miss them. The timing of that water break was definitely good. I hope the bluebirds make use of your nest boxes this year.
Mr. McGregor's Daughter, their such lovely birds, hopefully you will see them again soon. Maybe if you try some of the Zick dough, they'll come.
Entangled, they are quite beautiful.Thank you for stopping by again.
Gardenauthor, welcome to Robin's Nesting Place, thank for stopping by and leaving the information on the water for the birds. I'm glad you enjoyed my blog.
Hi, Dan. I wasn't sure when they usually returned to the area. I also had no idea that so many would roost in the same box. Thanks for the information.
Hi, Mary. I hope you see them soon too. I can't wait for your lovely pictures of bluebirds.
I am so jealous, Robin! A friend in far SW Austin has them in her garden, but I've only seen photos, not real birds. Hope they decide to hang out with you ;-]
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Gosh, you are quick with a camera. I never manage to catch bluebirds, even when the whole family is wallowing in the bird bath. And I LOVE the photo of the soggy robin!
I am so jealous! But, my boxes are out, let's hope they find them!
Robin, I gotta ask...What is Zick dough? (I assume something like suet???)
David, Zick dough is basically a suet mixture. You can find the recipe here. http://www.juliezickefoose.com/blog/2008/01/whatcha-doin-up-there.html
I gotta figure out how to do a link in the comments. Anyone want to share which HTML tag it is or how to do it?
ALREADY!!! Wow. We need to clean out the bluebird house NOW! We put it up too late last year and a wren made a nest in it. We haven't cleaned that out, but it's 45° right now, so guess what I'm going to go do?
Hi there, Robin. I have tons of bluebirds in my yard here in virginia...starting in the fall and through the winter, into the spring. I adore your blog. You have the most brightly colored and beautiful photos I have ever seen. I have brightly colored birds and I love to garden too...BUT, my photos don't look ANYTHING like yours. My husband just told me he is going to buy me a nice camera with a good zoom feature for my birthday, in March. What type of camera do you use, if you don't mind me asking? I'll keep checking back...your site is lovely. Jan
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